Sunday 20th October
Read Psalm 79
If you don’t have a bible at home you can find the readings on a website such as www.biblegateway.com or an app such as YouVersion
Read the first verses of this Psalm and you will realise it is written in the aftermath of utter defeat, when Jerusalem had been sacked, the Temple desecrated, and the streets are filled with blood. Of course, this could be seen to happen anywhere in the ancient (or indeed modern) world, but the difference here is that this was where God was meant to have his dwelling. The Temple was where God and his world were meant to come together.
In our New Testament language we speak of the Temple of God being his Church, the place where God comes to live with men and women, for it is the body of Christ. What happens when it appears as devastated as this? The Psalmist recognises the people’s failure to hold to the Temple’s function and provision, and his concluding plea is for forgiveness and for God to act against those whose mockery of their relation with Him had brought about their shame. Recognising our inner faults is always a way for God’s people to act when in dire straits.
READINGS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD
As you read the Bible Stop; Read; Ponder; and Pray.
Monday Acts 12:20-24
It’s amazing what public speaking can do and what effect it can have both on speaker and audience. Herod, or Herod Agrippa to give him his full name and not to be confused with other Herods such as Herod the Great at the time of Jesus birth, had a bone to pick with the people of Tyre and Sidon on the coast and he headed North East to Caesarea. The people of Tyre and Sidon sought to come to a more settled relationship with Herod if for no other reason than that their food supply was pretty dependant on the Judean country. Having got the assistance of Blastus one of Herod’s servants they flattered Herod in the hope of having no more trouble.
“This is the voice of a god not of a man” they shouted when Herod, suitably attired, gave his great speech from his throne. It probably wasn’t just flattery – think of the masses who applauded Hitler with all sincerity – and Herod believed it himself, giving no praise to God. It resulted in his death. When men applaud their own glory it doesn’t bode well for them. The tale of Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon told in Daniel 4:25-35 is an Old Testament example similar to Herod. Pride comes before a fall, and in this case, it came before his death.
The last verse of the chapter tells of the continuing spread of the gospel as Luke the author says, “But the Word of God continued to spread and flourish”. Barnabus and Saul having finished the task of taking relief from Antioch to the Jerusalem Church returned to Antioch. Our Presbyterian system tends to take away the sense of close congregational care because it is all done through Presbytery or via “121”. I remember hearing of a Church in a poor area struggling financially and needing major help. Someone on the Session, who knew that a Church not too far from them had a big asset stored away, wondered whether they could ask that congregation for help. Having plucked up the courage to do so, they eventually got the answer, that the wealthy congregation could not help as that money was for new pew cushions in their sanctuary. The adage, “It’s our money”, often reigns in Churches.
Anyway, once home they were in a prayer and worship gathering with some of the other prophets and teachers in the Antioch Church. I wonder if Agabus was there too? While they were worshipping and fasting the Holy Spirit, presumably through one or other of the prophets and agreed by the rest, said, “set apart for me Barnabus and Saul for the work to which I have called them”. After further fasting and prayer they laid hands on them and sent them off; so began the first of the missionary journeys of Saul who was to become Paul.
Wednesday Acts 13:4-12
The first missionary journey that Saul and Barnabus took was to the island of Cyprus. As what was to become his habit Saul went to the synagogue at Salamis and their proclaimed the word of God. Luke, the writer of Acts, doesn’t tell us much apart from the fact that they travelled the whole length of the island until they reached Paphos at the other end, about 150 miles away. There they were summoned to meet Sergius Paulus who was the proconsul or governor and who had heard of them and was interested to hear what they had to say, but one of his attendants called Elymas who, a sorcerer, opposed them trying to turn the proconsul away.
What happened was an astonishing act of rebuke from Paul and a miraculous blinding of the man. The proconsul was amazed at Paul’s teaching and this miracle seemed to set a seal on it such that he believed.
Prayer: Deliver us from those who oppose the gospel and put their influence at naught. Amen.
Thursday Acts 13:13-41
With Paul in Paphos are mentioned companions which would have included Barnabus but John Mark left them to return to Jerusalem when Paul and
Others sailed for Perga in lower Turkey and then headed inward to Antioch in Pisidia, about 200 miles North of Perga. There was a Jewish community there and that was where they went on the Sabbath and, being invited to speak, Paul spoke at length about the history of the Jewish people leading to David and telling them that from David God had brought the promised Saviour, Jesus.
He told them of the rejection of Jesus in Jerusalem and his death but also his resurrection and that through him forgiveness of sins was proclaimed encouraging them to believe and be set free from their sin. This has always to be the message of the Church down the ages, that Jesus is the saviour and that people should believe in him.
Paul and Barnabus were asked to come back the next Sabbath although many of the Jews and devout converts followed them and talked further with them. The next Sabbathe word had obviously got around because a huge crowd gathered to hear them – mostly Gentiles – but this caused great jealousy on the part of the Jews who began to contradict Paul and heaped abuse on him. This point was when Paul and Barnabus spoke frankly to them telling them that because they were rejecting the word of God they would now turn to the Gentiles. This shows the start movement of the Gospel message moving outwards to non-Jews, indicating the worldwide message of that gospel.
A new Church was born but hostility on the part of the Jews began to develop.
Saturday Acts 14:1-7
The apostles left Antioch (Pisidian Antioch as distinct from the Syrian Antioch which was the sending Church of the apostles) and travelled East to Iconium (modern Konya) and went into the synagogue as was their usual practice. The situation was the same as before, to begin with a fair number believed but persecution arose and a plot to mistreat them and stone them when found out led them to leave for Lystra and Derbe.
When preaching is effective it finds opposition and the words of Jesus have a great deal to say, “Woe unto you when all men speak well of you” (Luke 6:26). There is in the gospel a sharp edge which causes many, like the early Saul, to ‘kick against’.
